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Bad light may have stopped play prematurely in Durham but there was no doubt Australia’s Chris Rogers grabbed the limelight with a dogged hundred on day two of the fourth Ashes Test.

Rogers, the 35-year-old veteran, was a left-field pick for this series after being drafted in eight years after playing his sole Test.

However, he has repaid the huge leap of faith Australia’s selectors took in him at the start of the summer with a first Test century which helped his side to 222 for five by the time the gloom descended on the Riverside 37 minutes before the scheduled close.

It left the tourists just 16 runs adrift of England’s below-par 238 and firmly in the driving seat as they seek the victory which would keep alive their hopes of a 2-2 series draw going into the final Test at The Oval.

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Rogers had got close in the previous Test at Old Trafford, trapped lbw by Graeme Swann on 84 after being distracted by a friend in the crowd who he played club cricket with in Melbourne.

That was one of three half-centuries for Rogers in this series but yesterday’s unbeaten 101, with three figures reached in 227 balls, was the most important innings of his career so far.

The Middlesex captain shared a 129-run stand with Shane Watson to help his side recover from 76 for four.

Busy: Stuart Broad did damage with the ball (Picture: Getty)

Watson was eventually out for 68, edging Stuart Broad behind as Australia were reduced to 205 for five.

By then the first-innings defect was just 33 and the damage was done from England’s perspective.

Alastair Cook’s side failed to add to their overnight score by the time James Anderson was bowled in the second over of the day.

But two wickets in seven balls from Broad saw Australia slip to 12 for two, David Warner (3) and Usman Khawaja the victims.

Broad then grabbed the key scalp of Michael Clarke, whose 187 at Old Trafford had taken his side to the edge of glory in the rain-ruined third Test, when Australia’s captain was caught by Cook at second slip to leave his side on 49 for three.

That was 76 for four two overs after lunch when Tim Bresnan had Steve Smith caught behind for 17.

But Rogers and Watson’s stand rescued their side and shifted the momentum of the match back in their favour.